Newest nutrition tool: Fake vending machines

Machines offer health advice instead of snacks.

A healthcare group in Utah plans to outfit schools with vending machines that dispense nutrition advice instead of the promised candy, cookies and chips.

The full-sized machines look like regular vending devices, with realistic-looking foods on display, according to Intermountain Healthcare, a diversified healthcare provider with more than 200 facilities and 900 physicians. But when a child presses a button for an item, the youngster hears a taped message instead of getting the snacks: “How about you run to the grocery store and pick up some fresh fruit or something? You could use a healthy snack and the run wouldn't hurt, either."

One of at least three different messages are delivered.

“Our goal with the LiVe campaign is to approach this important issue from a child's point of view and offer positive, helpful solutions for families," said Intermountain's Dr. Tamara Sheffield.

The company did not say how many of the bogus machines it would distribute.

It was a decision that brought the duo recognition at Monday night’s MenuDirections 2015 awards ceremony in Memphis, Tenn., which is part of FoodService Director magazine’s annual conference geared towards foodservice operators and suppliers.